Müsli

introduction

A bowl of steaming porridge is a comforting thing, but give us cold cereal any day. It slakes the thirst of early morning and, if it falls out of a box, gets a crunchy little sugar buzz going. It’s a way for adults to drink milk and not feel like babies, or for a parent to give the kids breakfast and not feel like a slacker. This müsli recipe, if you can actually call it a recipe, hews to the requirements of cold cereal (easy, quick, quenching, compelling) but is way more delicious, and actually good for you.

Here’s the deal: raw cereal grains possess high nutrition, but by toasting the grains first and sending them fresh directly to you (as we do with our oatmeal), the micronutrients—particularly niacin—become more accessible, and enchanting toasty flavors meet up with the flavor of fresh grains. The bias cut of our small heirloom oats soften to a wee chewiness when they are soaked overnight and scour the throat gently in a most appealing way.

Cooking Remarks

Feel free to sweeten the müsli as it soaks overnight or when you serve the cereal. You may also portion individual bowls of müsli (⅓ cup oats to ½ cup milk) in advance of soaking if that seems easier.

Place the oats in a small bowl and cover them with a couple of inches of cold tap water. Swirl lightly. Let settle, and then tilt the bowl and pour off all the water, along with any hulls that have risen to the surface. Add the milk or almond milk and the salt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The following morning, spoon the müsli into serving bowls and enjoy with any kind of fruit that suits your fancy and sugar or honey, if desired.